Winner of the mares' novice hurdle at the 2016 Festival, Limini defeated Apple's Jade on her only run of the winter, leading to speculation that she would be supplemented for the Champion Hurdle.

Vroum Vroum Mag has had a busier time, as connections had to decide which of her many Cheltenham entries the eight-year-old was going to take up.

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Paul Townend and Glens Melody (background) take advantage of Annie Power's fall back in 2015

They plumped for the tried and tested option, although the mare appeared to under-perform when scrambling home by a head from Midnight Jazz, who was rated 16lb inferior, at Doncaster in January.

Mullins believes Vroum Vroum Mag had a valid excuse and she was found to be under the weather when she returned to Ireland.

"I think she was just brewing something over in Doncaster, some sort of cold. When we brought her home we gave her antibiotics and an easy time," said the Closutton trainer.

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Vroum Vroum Mag just gets the better of Midnight Jazz at Doncaster

"She's done a few bits of work since, she's coming back right and we're much happier with her."

Limini on the other hand was highly impressive on her last run.

"I went to Punchestown thinking 'am I mad going there'. Last year when Annie Power won it you'd probably have said before the race it would be a schooling hurdle for her, with what was in the race," said Mullins.

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"This year I thought Apple's Jade wouldn't make it easy for us and maybe a hard race three weeks before Cheltenham is not good.

"But we'd said we were going to run, so we probably had to turn up and I just hoped it wouldn't turn into a race of attrition.

"We thought we'd ride the race Ruby did ride and everything just fell into place.

Ruby Walsh is booked to ride Limini in the Mares' Hurdle

"What I didn't think was that Limini could pull out and go past her without getting a slap, which begs two questions - have we improved that much? I thought we'd improved at home, but I didn't know we'd improved that much and did Apple's Jade run up to her form?

"Limini didn't have a hard race and pulled out of it well. It was not more than she would do if we didn't go to Punchestown and took her away somewhere.

Walsh explained why he plumped for Limini, and how difficult the choice had been.

"I suppose I've thought for a while this was going to happen, and still at 11.30 on Sunday morning I wasn't sure (what to ride), and I suppose I've gone with recent form and Limini's recent form is better than Vroum Vroum Mag's," he told Racing UK.

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Walsh admits it was a tough choice

"Vroum Vroum Mag has definitely done more and proven more in her career than Limini has, but there's nothing between them on ratings and not much between them on their home work and I just took a chance on Limini being the one that's improving, whereas Vroum Vroum Mag may have plateaued.

"That's only my hunch, I could very well be wrong and there's a big chance I am wrong. I've done a lot of things as a jockey, but I don't think I've ever figured out how to ride two in one race. I had to make a choice."

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Apple's Jade (left) was beaten fair and square last time

Gordon Elliott expects Apple's Jade to have improved for her run behind Limini.

"I'd say she takes her racing well and she'll definitely come on for the run in Punchestown, but I'm not making excuses - the best horse won on the day," he said.

"We might struggle to beat Limini again, but I think Apple's Jade will be a better horse in Cheltenham and a lead would help, as she's idle enough.

"She's in good form. She actually got a bad injury at the beginning of December, which is why she's come back over hurdles," said her trainer Jessica Harrington.

The fifth Irish raider is Jer's Girl. She is a dual Grade 1 winner over this trip and arrives a fresh horse having not raced since finishing last of five behind Champion Hurdle hope Petit Mouchoir in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leoaprdstown's Christmas meeting.

"She's in great form. It's quite a good race, but I'm hopeful of a big run," said her trainer Gavin Cromwell.

"Her preparation has gone to plan and I'm very happy with her."

Fergal O'Brien had thought of keeping Colin's Sister to novice company at this year's Festival but has opted for the Mares' Hurdle as the ground is in her favour on day one of the meeting.